ASLEF calls for review of TfL

27 November 2015

ASLEF, the train drivers’ union, has urged Sadiq Khan to conduct a fundamental review of Transport for London should he become Mayor of London next year. The union made its call in a submission to the London Labour Party’s policy review, the deadline for which is today [Friday 27 November].

The call follows the announcement in the comprehensive spending review on Wednesday that the TfL operational budget will be cut by £700million by the end of the decade.

Mick Whelan, the union’s general secretary, said ‘I am concerned bythe way Transport for London has being run and believe a review of the organisation’s management and processes is long overdue.’

He added: ʻTfL’s woeful project management of the Circle,Metropolitan, District and Hammersmith & City lines signalling upgrade has cost Londoners hundreds of millions of pounds.Inexplicably, senior executives such as Mike Brown and Peter Hendy, who bear responsibility for this, have been promoted!’

Mick continued: ʻIf TfL had bothered to consult trade unions at the outset they would have had a night tube by now. They also removed the industrial trade unionists from the board leaving a gaggle of pro-business and out of touch Boris cronies who have been unable to make balanced decisions.’

He concluded: ‘I am urging Sadiq Khan to get a grip of TfL if he becomes Mayor of London and ensure it focuses on its core business and not political vanity projects such as cable cars and garden bridges. The best way for Sadiq to respond a budget squeeze is to improve the organisation through better and more balanced governance as well as more professional management across both personnel and projects.’